Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

Hell Followed with Us is the queer, post-apocalyptic horror novel I didn't know I needed. The novel is set a short time after a fundamental Christian group initiated the apocalypse, and began killing in the name of God. They call themselves the "Angels," and believe that their path to heaven lies in the annihilation of all non-believers. The apocalypse began with the Flood, a contagious disease meant to turn people into monsters, rotted from the inside-out. The Angels affectionately refer to these monsters as Graces, and believe them to be their glorious weapon. After all, the Graces aid in their "holy war" to kill anyone who doesn't accept this new world order.

At the heart of it all is a special grace called Seraph. A creation the Angels have made to control all other Graces. The Angels believe that it is Seraph that will lead them to victory and finally secure their place in heaven.

However, the person transforming into Seraph is a young, trans teen named Benji, who isn't sure if he believes in the Angels' cause anymore. When he and his dad make a run for it, tragedy begets a new way of thinking. Benji is taken into the fold of the local LGBT center, where he meets other queer teens like him. Here, he grapples with his upbringing and identity, and ultimately must make a choice.

This book is a brutal and all too familiar narrative for those who have grown up with religious trauma, particularly if you're also queer. Extra points if you also struggle with mental illness. The book is a near-constant barrage of horrifying yet exquisitely intricate body horror that resonated with me and my complicated history with organized religion.

At the heart of it all is a boy who has been abused and mistrated, and doesn't know how to process the complicated feelings of love and betrayal he experiences.

I didn't give the book a full five stars, because I felt like there was still room for improvement. While many books suffer from beginning too early in the story, I feel like this book began too late. We're dropped into a heart breaking scene that doesn't get the proper emotional weight, in my opinion. And while it continues to be referenced throughout the book, I still don't think the impact of the event on Benji's psyche is conveyed as well as it could be.

The plot, too, feels like it could have been expanded in moments of contraction, and contracted in moments of expansion. In other words, sometimes the focus of the story feels misplaced. I would have liked to see more world-building with some of the side characters and plots, too.

There is also autism rep that I feel like is a bit heavy-handed, in my opinion as an autistic person. I adored the character, and much of his characterization I identified with. I just think that when we are first introduced to his POV, the way he talks about his autism is a bit contrived. I personally think it would have been more impactful if it had been introduced in a more nuanced way.

Also, note that while the narrative has many trans characters, the antagonists of the novel are explicitly transphobic for a large portion of the text. Including, but not limited to repeated misgendering and forcing a trans character to wear gendered clothing they don't want to wear. The text does not condone it, but it is present and may be triggering to some.

CW/TW: gore, violence, body horror, teeth pulling, bones breaking, transphobia, religious fundamentalism, religious trauma, dysphoria, abuse, abusive romantic relationships, child abuse (parent to child)...that's all I can think of at the moment, but there may be more. It's a very graphic book, so if that's not your jam, keep that in mind.